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Mirror Pond is a simple, drinkable pale ale from Deschutes Brewery

Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon exists "to profitably deliver the finest beers in the world and cultivate extraordinary experiences" according to their website. With their marvelous pale ale, Mirror Pond, they do this just fine.

Mirror Pond is my standby pale ale much as Fat Tire, from New Belgium, is my standby amber ale - and for many of the same reasons.

At 5% ABV it's not a particularly strong brew - nowhere near as radical as something like Dogfish Head's 90-Minute IPA. But you just can't drink a 90-Minute IPA every night, especially if you happen to enjoy drinking more than one beer at a time.

Something like Mirror Pond is much friendlier.

Can a beer be smooth and grainy all at once? This beer can.

It's just hoppy enough to give it an edge but not so hoppy that it stops you in your tracks. With a nice apricot color and a sweet, balanced aroma, Mirror Pond manages just the right blend of light, citrusy hops and bready malts.

It pours with moderate carbonation and just enough head. It's crisp and light and very, very drinkable. Overall a simple, straightforward pale ale that gets everything just about right. The sort of beer you can drink night after night without getting bored or overdoing it.

It's the sort of pale ale that people who don't normally drink pale ales will enjoy - and I mean that in a good way because it's a beer that hardcore pale ale drinkers will also enjoy.